ATLANTA, GA | The Morehouse Maroon Tigers men's volleyball team closed out the regular season in dramatic fashion on Senior Day, earning a hard-fought five-set victory over the LeMoyne-Owen Magicians (21–25, 25–20, 25–22, 22–25, 15–12) at Forbes Arena. Prior to the match, seniors Jamar Shackleford Jr., Aidan Pullian, and Kristopher Woods were honored for their contributions to the program. With the win, Morehouse's second consecutive triumph over LeMoyne-Owen, the Maroon Tigers improve to 4–11 overall and 4–8 in SIAC play, clinching the No. 5 seed in the upcoming SIAC Tournament. Morehouse will face the fourth-seeded Benedict Tigers in the opening round on Tuesday, April 15, in Fort Valley, Georgia.

Set One – LeMoyne-Owen 25, Morehouse 21

The opening set was a tightly contested battle early before LeMoyne-Owen used a mid-set surge to gain control. Morehouse grabbed the first point on a kill by Charles Parrish Jr. off a smooth set from Jamar Shackleford Jr., but LeMoyne-Owen quickly responded with a pair of kills from Daryl McClain and a service ace from Jaqson Lesure to go up 5-3.

The Magicians extended their lead to 8-4 after a service ace by Alendy Sincoul and an attack error by Daniel Allen. However, Aidan Pullian answered for Morehouse with a kill and a service ace that ignited a 3-0 run, trimming the margin to 8-7. The set continued with back-and-forth action as Pullian and Parrish Jr. kept the Maroon Tigers within striking distance, with timely kills and defensive blocks slowing LeMoyne-Owen's momentum.

Morehouse eventually tied the score at 14-14 after back-to-back errors by the Magicians. But from that point, LeMoyne-Owen went on a crucial 5-1 run, taking advantage of service errors by the Tigers and executing kills from Sincoul and Malique Rackley. The Magicians' aggressive serving and frontline presence, particularly from Josiah Mounger and McClain, created separation late.

Morehouse fought back to close within 20-18 after a block from Pullian and Pitts and a Shackleford service ace. Yet, LeMoyne-Owen's Lesure answered with a perfectly placed kill, and another late Morehouse service error proved costly. On set point, Lesure connected again, this time with Mounger, to put away the frame 25-21 and give LeMoyne-Owen the early edge in the match​.

Set Two – Morehouse 25, LeMoyne-Owen 20

The Maroon Tigers responded to their first-set loss with intensity and precision in the second frame, building momentum through a dominant serving run and a more efficient offensive attack.

Morehouse opened the set with an immediate point on an attack error by Daryl McClain and followed it with a powerful kill from Michael Bloodworth. Although a service error tied the score early at 1-1, Morehouse began to assert itself behind strong net play from Daniel Allen and Parrish Jr., who combined for a kill and a block to give the Tigers a slight edge at 4-3.

LeMoyne-Owen briefly regained the lead at 6-5 after a service ace from Richard Lowe, but the Tigers roared back with one of their most explosive runs of the match. Behind the steady hands of Shackleford Jr. setting the offense and the aggressive swings of Bloodworth and Pullian, Morehouse rattled off eight consecutive points, including three kills, two service aces from Shackleford, and several Magician miscues. The 13-6 advantage visibly rattled LeMoyne-Owen and energized the Forbes Arena crowd.

A kill from Pullian and another ace stretched the lead to 20-12. Though the Magicians closed the gap with a late push—benefiting from a few Morehouse attack errors and a service ace by Sincoul—the Tigers remained composed. Pitts delivered a key kill from Allen to bring the set to 24-20, and a LeMoyne-Owen service error ended the set in Morehouse's favor.

The Maroon Tigers finished the set hitting .273, a significant improvement from the opening frame, and dominated at the service line with six total aces, including two apiece from Pullian and Shackleford. The momentum-shifting second set knotted the match at 1-1 and signaled Morehouse's growing confidence​.

Set Three – Morehouse 25, LeMoyne-Owen 22

The third set was a thrilling showcase of resilience and composure by the Morehouse Maroon Tigers, who clawed their way through numerous lead changes and a late-set surge from the LeMoyne-Owen Magicians to take a 2–1 match advantage.

Morehouse opened the frame aggressively, capitalizing on an early Magician service error and riding the offensive firepower of Aidan Pullian and Charles Parrish Jr. to build a 5–2 lead. Bloodworth added a kill off a sharp set from Shackleford Jr., while Allen and Pitts contributed key swings that kept LeMoyne-Owen's defense on its heels.

However, LeMoyne-Owen regrouped, going on a 5–1 run sparked by kills from Sincoul and Rackley, combined with a service ace from Richard Lowe. The Magicians surged ahead 11–9 before a service error slowed their momentum. Morehouse battled back with three straight points, including a block assist by Allen and Pullian that leveled the score at 12–12.

From there, the two sides traded blows in a set that featured eight total ties and four lead changes. Pullian remained a force at the net with two kills and a crucial block, while Shackleford Jr. delivered a timely ace that swung momentum back in Morehouse's favor at 20–18.

With the score tied at 22–22 following a kill from LeMoyne-Owen's Sincoul, Morehouse closed the set with poise. Pitts notched a kill from the right side, and Parrish Jr. followed with another kill to make it 24–22. On set point, a hitting error by Sincoul—his seventh of the match—sealed the win for the Tigers, 25–22.

Morehouse's offense operated efficiently, hitting .259 in the set with 14 kills on 27 swings, their best offensive output to that point. Pullian, Bloodworth, and Parrish Jr. continued to lead the way, while Shackleford Jr. distributed the ball masterfully and orchestrated several scoring runs. With the win, the Tigers moved one set away from clinching the match

Set Four Summary – LeMoyne-Owen 25, Morehouse 22

With Morehouse holding a 2–1 lead in the match, LeMoyne-Owen came into the fourth set with urgency and aggression. The Magicians leaned heavily on their star outside hitter Alendy Sincoul, who powered their offense and helped force a decisive fifth set by outlasting Morehouse in a tense and back-and-forth frame.

LeMoyne-Owen opened the set with a quick 1–0 lead following a bad set by Jamar Shackleford Jr., but Morehouse answered with a kill from Charles Parrish Jr. and a textbook finish by Bloodworth to briefly move ahead. The two teams traded early blows and were tied at 4–4 before LeMoyne-Owen strung together three straight points behind back-to-back kills from Sincoul and a Morehouse setting miscue, building a 7–4 advantage.

Morehouse chipped away with kills from Allen and Bloodworth, and a service ace from Daniel Allen helped tie the score at 7–7. However, the Magicians responded with another strong push. A block and a kill by Rackley, followed by a costly service error from Morehouse, gave LeMoyne-Owen a 13–10 edge.

The Tigers didn't fold, and once again it was Pullian and Allen stepping up to deliver timely attacks. A kill by Allen and a well-placed attack from Bloodworth brought Morehouse within one, 17–16. However, a missed serve and an unforced attack error allowed the Magicians to regain a three-point cushion.

LeMoyne-Owen continued to lean on Sincoul, who added two more kills and a service ace late in the set. Despite Morehouse pulling within 23–21 thanks to a block by Pitts and Parrish Jr., the Magicians closed the set after a Richard Lowe kill and a Sincoul swing found the hardwood. A final kill by Sincoul made it 25–22, forcing a decisive fifth set.

The set featured 11 ties and 4 lead changes, but unforced errors (5 attack errors and 2 service errors) hampered Morehouse's ability to finish the comeback. Still, the Tigers continued to receive balanced contributions across the front line, showing the resolve that would carry them into a strong fifth set finish​.

Set Five – Morehouse 15, LeMoyne-Owen 12

With the match tied 2–2 and the season finale hanging in the balance, the Morehouse Maroon Tigers delivered a composed and clutch performance in the decisive fifth set, outlasting the LeMoyne-Owen Magicians 15–12 in front of a spirited crowd at Forbes Arena.

Morehouse came out firing, setting the tone with an opening kill by Aidan Pullian off a perfect set from Jamar Shackleford Jr. Pullian quickly followed with another kill and then a well-placed swing that led to a LeMoyne-Owen attack error, giving the Maroon Tigers a 3–1 lead. A service ace by Pullian capped a 4–0 Morehouse run that extended the lead to 6–2 and forced an early timeout by the Magicians.

LeMoyne-Owen responded with grit, using a block from Alendy Sincoul and a kill from Malique Rackley to inch back. They closed the gap to 7–6 after a Morehouse attack error and then drew even at 9–9 following a kill by Sincoul and another hitting miscue by the Tigers.

But just when the momentum began to shift, the Maroon Tigers dug in. Daniel Allen hammered home a critical kill from the middle, followed by a rally-extending swing by Parrish Jr. to reclaim the lead at 11–9. On the next point, Shackleford Jr. fired a service ace that barely cleared the net and handcuffed the LeMoyne-Owen defense, pushing the score to 12–9.

After a brief Magician response, Morehouse stayed steady. Charles Parrish Jr. delivered a thunderous kill from the left pin to bring the Tigers to match point at 14–12. On the final play, Shackleford found Johnathan Pitts in the back row, who soared in for a match-ending kill, sealing the dramatic victory.

The Tigers hit a solid .222 in the final set and overcame five attack errors with strong serving and timely defense. Pullian led the charge in the fifth with multiple kills and an ace, while Allen, Pitts, and Parrish all contributed key points. Morehouse's depth, execution, and ability to regroup under pressure proved decisive.

Morehouse Statistical Leaders

• Aidan Pullian: 12 kills, 4 service aces, 4 blocks, 1 dig (match-high 18.0 points)

• Charles Parrish Jr.: 11 kills, 10 digs, 3 blocks, 2 assists (13.5 points)

• Michael Bloodworth: 11 kills, 1 ace, 1 block (13.0 points)

• Daniel Allen: 9 kills, 2 aces, 6 digs, 2 blocks (12.5 points)

• Jamar Shackleford Jr.: 39 assists, 5 aces, 4 digs (6.5 points)

• Myles Tucker: 10 digs, 2 assists

Morehouse registered 48 total kills, 13 service aces, and 8 total blocks in the match, outpacing LeMoyne-Owen in both serving and efficiency.

Looking Ahead

With the 3–2 win, the Maroon Tigers clinched back-to-back victories over LeMoyne-Owen and head into the SIAC Tournament with momentum, confidence, and a clear identity as a team built on balance, grit, and poise in the clutch​.  The Maroon Tigers will head to Columbia, SC on Sunday to face Benedict in a non-conference contest at 3PM.  They will square off against the No. 4 Benedict Tigers, in a win-or-go-home match, in the first round of the SIAC Men's Volleyball Tournament, on Tuesday, April 15 at Fort Valley State University. First serve is scheduled for 12:30 PM. Morehouse looks to carry its renewed energy, balanced attack, and improving defensive play into the postseason in search of its first tournament victory in program history.  For up-to-date athletic information on the Maroon Tigers, follow them on social media or online at www.morehouseathletics.com.